Saturday, May 9, 2015

Lucky Lentil Salad

A while back in Hayes Valley, I had a really good chilled lentil salad. I wanted to
recreate it since it's something chock full of protein and nutrients and
quite filling after a work out. I've been known to just shove spoonfuls of peanut butter into my mouth after a run I'm so ladylike. I figured this would be step up.

This
one I made was cold and keeps in the fridge for a few days - which was
great to snack on. I made a big batch and cooked the quinoa and lentils
together in a rice cooker, but you can cook each separately in a pot if
you wish. It's real easy to put together, good for any veggie lover (or
even vegan) and something I usually snack on periodically or throw over
a bed of greens or brown rice.

Chilled Lentil Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of quinoa cooked in broth1/2 cup of green lentils cooked in broth1/2 cup of canned chickpeas rinsed12 cup of shredded carrots (our you can use zucchini)1 cup of kale, chopped (I like baby kale, it's softer and less bitter)1/ 4 cup of raisins (I liked the sweetness they add)1-2 tbs of fresh parsley chopped

Dressing:

How To:

Cook the quinoa and green lentils in broth. This
adds flavor and I usually use 1 1/4 cup of broth to the 1/2 cup of
grain/lentil. If I have any frozen herbs lying around, I'll add those to
the water too. Usually it's frozen garlic and/or basil or cilantro. If I
have any mixed seasonings or dried onions, I'll add that to the cooking
water as well. It really gives the quinoa more depth and less "dirt"
flavor some folks complain about.
Whisk the dressing ingredients in a bowl, set aside to let the flavors mingle.

Cool the quinoa and lentils to room temp. Throw them in a big bowl or
container with the rest of the ingredients, toss with dressing and eat.
Super simple!